Electrical connector



Dec. 25, 1951 o. .1. ALVAREZ ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed March 19, 1949 INVEN TOR. OCTAVIO JOSE ALVAREZ BY Patented Dec. 25, 1951 ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Octavio Jose Alvarez, New York,

by mesne assignments, De Reitzes-Marxenwert,

N. Y., assignor,

of one-fourth to Maria New York, N. Y.

Application March 19, 1949, Serial No. 82,365

5 Claims. 1

My present invention relates to clamps for use in connecting the heating wire and the lead in electric heaters, and to hot plates using the same.

It is a requirement for safety reasons that in electric heaters, such as hot plates or the like, the joint of the heating wire and the electric lead be relieved from mechanical stress. Heretofore, this was accomplished by providing a screw bolt extending through a hole in the supporting body and compressing the heating wire on one side, for instance, between the head of the bolt and a washer, and the electrical lead on the other side of the supporting body where it was held in position between washers by the nut tightening the bolt to secure the electrical contact. But an additional mechanical strain relief is required which may be provided by a knob or clamp so that a mechanical strain on a flexible cord will not be transmitted to terminals, splices, or interior wiring.

It is an object of my present invention to provide a clamp which is less expensive and comprises fewer parts than the known screw bolt system by incorporating the splicing, positioning and stress relieving clamp in one single unit.

It is another object of my present invention to prevent the cracking of the supporting body, such as ceramic heating plates.

Still another object of my present invention is o prevent faulty contacts between the heating wire and the electrical lead.

Also, it is an object of my invention to create a high compression desirable for the contact members, which is independent from the low compression desirable for the contact unit relative to the supporting body of ceramic.

Finally, still another obieot of my invention is the design of a clamp which allows clamping of the heating wire and the lead independently of each other, and one of them previous to the insertion of the clamp into the supporting body of the heater.

With the above objects in view, my present invention mainly comprises a member consisting of current conductive material, and including two end portions and a middle portion, at least one of said portions being substantially tubular and clamping at least one of the heating wire and the electric lead, the middle portion being adapted to be placed in the hole of the supporting body and the end portions being adapted to be bent in parallel directions substantially at right angles to the middle portion, so

as to hold the middle portion in position in the hole.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of my present invention, I use a clamp, at least one of the portions of which is substantially fiat, and at least another of the portions of which is substantially tubular.

In one embodiment of my invention, the middle portion is substantially tubular, and the end portions substantially fiat, the middle portion being adapted to clamp together the heating wire and the electrical lead.

In another embodiment of my invention, the end portions are substantially tubular, and the middle portion flat, one of said end portions being adapted to clamp the heating wire, and the other of the end portions being adapted to clamp the lead.

According to still another embodiment of my invention, one of the end portions is substantially tubular, and the other one substantially fiat while the middle portion is substantially flat, the tubular end portion being adapted to clamp together the heating wire and the lead.

A still further embodiment of my invention has one end portion and the middle portion substantially tubular, and the other end portion being substantially flat. The tubular end portion is adapted to clamp together the heating wire the lead while the tubular middle portion serves as stress relieving part for holding the lead.

I have found it an advantage to connect the middle portion with the end portions by means of fiat bridge portions which, eventually, are bent to right angle pieces which cover the edges of the supporting hole, at the same time preventing a sharp bend of the lead.

Preferably, the clamp according to my present invention is provided with a sleeve of insulating material surrounding the middle portion and placed together with the latter in the hole of the supporting body. This is particularly advantageous if the two end portions and the middle portion are shaped as tubular members, and the heating wire is clamped in one end portion and the lead in the other.

The novel features which I consider as characteristic for my invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its methods of operation, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2' shows the same embodiment in perspective view after bending;

Fig. 3 shows the clamp according to Fig. 2 in position in the heater together with the heating wire and the lead, the clamp and the heater being shown in section;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of .my invention;

Fig. 5 is a sectional shown in Figure 4 in position together heating wire and the electrical lead;

Fig. 6 shows a sectional elevation of another embodiment of my invention together with the heating wire and the lead, the supporting body being shown in cross-section;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of still another embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of still another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, and first to Figures 1 to 3, E have shown a clamp generally denoted by It, and consisting of curent conductive material. It is provided with a middle portion I2, and two end portions I4 and It; The middle portion in this embodiment is substan tially tubular in shape.

The end portion It is also substantially tubular whereas the end portion I5 is substantially flat. Between the middle portion i2, and the end pertions i4 and I6, two'bridge portions I3 25 are provided.

Figure 1 shows the clamp before bending, and Figure 2 after bending.

It is to be understood that the clamp has to be brought into position before bending both end portions, although one end portion may be bent in advance.

Figure 3 shows a clamp according to Figure 2 in position in a heater of which part of the supporting body 22 is shown. The supporting body .22 is provided witha hole 24 which receives the middle portion I2 of the clamp; The end portions it and I6 are bent substantially at right angles to the middle portion in the same direction, said end portions having each a face be ing arranged parallel to, and preferably in contact with, one of the opposite faces of the body 22 so as to hold the middle portion I2 in position in the hole 2 3 of the supporting body 22. The bridge portions l3 and ill cover partly the edges of the hole 24.

The heating wire 25 and the electrical lead 28 are clamped together in the tubular end portion I 5 which to this end is compressed by means of suitable tool (not shown). The tubular members l2 and I are provided. with slots 30 and 32, which facilitate their compression. The middle portion l2 accommodates the. part of the lead 28 which is near the end, and is compressed so as to hold said lead and to relieve the joint between the heating wire 26 and the lead 28 from mechanical stress. The bridge portions l8 and so serve as bushing-like guides for the lead which thus is protected fromthe' abrasive edge of the ceramic.

Referring now to Figures 4 and 5, the clamp B is shown to have a tubular middle portion 1 l2 and flat end portions H4 and II. As will be seen from Figure 5, the middle portion I I2 clamps together the heating wire I26 and the electrical lead I28, while the end portions [I l and I it serve as bushing-like guiding members for the heating wire I26 and the electrical lead I28, respectively.

elevation of the clamp with. the

The bridge portions H8 and 528 partly cover the edge of the hole I26 in which the middle portion H2 of the clamp H6 is placed.

In the embodiments described so far, the heating wire and the electrical lead are clamped together either in the end portions according to Figure 3, or in the middle portion according to Figure 5.

According to the following figures, the heating wire and the electrical lead are separately clamped to the end portions of the clamp.

In Figure 6, the end portions Zid and M5 are both tubular shaped, and the middle portion 2I2 is substantially flat shaped. Otherwise, the a.- rangement of the clamp is the same as that according to Figures 3 and 5. The tubular end portions 2 I4 accommodate the end of the heating wire 225 and the tubular end portion 2I5 accommodates the end of the electrical lead 228. The end portions 2M and 2I$ are bent in the same direction substantially at right angles to the middle portion 2I2 so as to hold the latter securely in position in the hole 224 of the supporting body 222.

In Figure 7 is shown an embodiment substantially equal to that shown in Figure 6, except that the end portions Bi l and 2H3 are bent in opposite directions, but parallel to each other.

in Figure 8 I have shown an embodiment in which the middle portion 3i? and the end portions did and sit are all shaped as tubes.

The end portions Bid and 3H5 accommodate the ends of the heating wire 52% and the electrical lead 328, respectively.

The middle portion 3I2 is surrounded by a sleeve 334 made of insulating material and insulating the clamp 3!!! from the supporting body 322. The sleeve 33s is inserted together with the middle portion 3I2 into the hole 32d of the body 322.

As will be seen from Figure 8,.the rim portions of the sleeve 324 adjacent to the end portions 3M and 3IB of the clamp 3IIl are bent outward as at 336.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of clamps, differing from the types described above.

While I have illustrated and described the invention as embodied in clamps for connecting the heating wire of an electric heater to an electrical lead, I do not intend to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of my invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of my invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention, and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A clamp for use in connecting the heating wire of an electrical heater having a supporting body to an electric lead, said clamp consisting of current conductive material and including in combination two end portions and a substantially tubular middle portion, said middle portion being adapted to be placed in a hole of the supporting body and said end portions being adapted to be bent in parallel directions substantially at right angles to said middle portion so as to hold said middle portion in position in the hole; and clamping means on at least one of said end portions formed integral therewith and serving for clamping a wire to said clamp.

2. A clamp for use in connecting the heating wire of an electrical heater having a supporting body to an electric lead, said clamp consisting of current conductive material and including in combination two end portions and a substantially tubular middle portion, one of said end portions being substantially tubular and the other one of said end portions being substantially flat, said tubular mid-portion being adapted to hold the lead near the end, and said tubular end portion being adapted to clamp the heating wire and the lead together, said middle portion being adapted to be placed in a hole of the supporting body and said end portions being adapted to be bent in parallel directions substantially at right angles to said middle portion so as to hold said middle portion in position in the hole.

3. A clamp for use in connecting a heating wire of an electrical heater having a supporting body to an electric lead, said clamp consisting of current conductive material and including in combination two integral end portions, a substantially tubular middle portion and substantially flat bridge portions connecting, respectively, said middle portion to said end portions, one of said end portions being substantially flat and the other of said end portions being substantially tubular, said middle portion being adapted to hold the lead near its end and said tubular end portion being adapted to clamp the heating wire and the lead together, said middle portion being adapted to be placed in a hole of the supporting body and said end portions being adapted to be bent in parallel directions substantially at right angles to said middle portion so as to hold said middle portion in position in the hole, said bridge portions being adapted to be bent into right angle pieces adapted to cover, respectively, the edges of the hole.

4. A clamp for use in connecting a heating wire of an electrical heater having a supporting body to an electric lead, said clamp consisting of current conductive material and including in combination two substantially tubular integral end portions, a substantially tubular middle portion and substantially fiat bridge portions connecting, respectively, said middle portion to said end portions, one of said end portions being adapted to clamp the heating wire and the other one of said end portions being adapted to clamp the lead, said middle portion being adapted to be placed in a hole of the supporting body and said end portions being adapted to be bent in parallel directions substantially at right angles to said middle portion so as to hold said middle portion in position in the hole, said bridge portions being adapted to be bent into right angle pieces adapted to cover, respectively, the edges of the hole.

5. A clamp as claimed in claim 4, comprising a tubular sleeve consisting of insulating material and surrounding said middle portion, said sleeve being adapted to be placed with said middle portion in a hole of the supporting body.

OCTAVIO JOSE ALVAREZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 

